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The United States government condemned the death of the Cuban political prisoner Yoleisy Oviedo Rodríguez in a forced labor camp in Cuba and issued a stern warning against the island's regime.
The Office of Western Hemisphere Affairs of the Department of State issued a statement on the social media platform X, describing the opponent's death as "a murder at the hands of her captors."
"Another proof that the Cuban regime is an enemy of its own people: They have left two children motherless. Yoleisy was imprisoned for exercising her rights. Those who perpetuate violations of freedom should not expect to go unpunished," the statement expresses.
Death at the Forced Labor Camp El Guatao
The Cuban Prisons Documentation Center confirmed that Yoleisy Oviedo Rodríguez passed away on the morning of February 11 at the El Guatao Forced Labor Camp in Havana.
So far, the Cuban regime has not disclosed the exact causes of this political prisoner's death. However, various reports indicate that she had been experiencing health issues for months without receiving the necessary medical attention.
Oviedo Rodríguez, 44 years old and mother of two children, was arrested after participating in a peaceful protest on October 10, 2022, in the municipality of Güines, Mayabeque, against the prolonged power outages affecting the population. On November 20, 2023, she was sentenced to five years in prison.
Initial refusal to hand over the body to the family
The activist Marcel Valdés reported that prison authorities initially refused to hand over Oviedo Rodríguez's body to his family.
His son went to the prison seeking answers and was assured that the body would be handed over at 7 PM on the day of his death. However, nearly 24 hours later, the remains of the political prisoner were transferred under heavy surveillance to the funeral home at Calzada and K, in Havana.
The death of Yoleisy Oviedo Rodríguez has sparked a wave of outrage among Cuban activists and dissidents, who believe she was a victim of a systematic strategy by the government to break political prisoners.
The organization Cubalex reported that "deaths in Cuban prisons are becoming increasingly common, reflecting a penitentiary system where incarcerated individuals face mistreatment, extreme malnutrition, and illnesses without medical care, lacking access to justice and the minimum conditions for survival."
Increase in deaths in Cuban prisons
The case of Yoleisy Oviedo Rodríguez adds to a concerning list of political and common prisoners who have lost their lives in the custody of the Cuban regime in recent months.
This same week, the death of two Cuban inmates was reported in the Boniato prison, in Santiago de Cuba, allegedly due to extreme malnutrition and institutional neglect.
In 2024, Cubalex published a report on repression in Cuba. They documented the deaths of at least 26 people in custody in Cuban prisons. The lack of access to food, medical care, and hygiene conditions have been noted as determining factors in these fatalities.
Washington warns of an imminent transition in Cuba
In the context of these claims, Donald Trump's special envoy for Latin America, Mauricio Claver-Carone, stated that the political transition in Cuba is "likely imminent."
"The Cuban government is probably at its weakest point. People always say that, but this time it really is," stated Claver-Carone in comments to POLITICO magazine.
The official believes that the desire for change among the Cuban people is "overwhelming," and even the regime's own leaders know that the transition to democracy is inevitable.
Claver-Carone, a Cuban-American born in Miami, was a key figure in designing hardline policies against dictatorships in the region during Trump's first term. In his view, the current administration will be "very creative" in driving changes in Cuba.
Frequently Asked Questions about Repression in Cuba and the Death of Yoleisy Oviedo Rodríguez
Who was Yoleisy Oviedo Rodríguez and why was she imprisoned?
Yoleisy Oviedo Rodríguez was a Cuban political prisoner who participated in a peaceful protest on October 10, 2022, in Güines, Mayabeque, against the prolonged blackouts in Cuba. For her participation, she was sentenced to five years in prison. Her death in the El Guatao Forced Labor Camp has sparked outrage over the inhumane conditions in Cuban prisons.
What was the reaction of the United States government to the death of Yoleisy Oviedo?
The United States government condemned the death of Yoleisy Oviedo, labeling it as "murder at the hands of her captors." The Office of Western Hemisphere Affairs of the Department of State stated that the Cuban regime is an enemy of its own people and warned that those who commit violations of freedom should not expect to go unpunished. Additionally, a warning was issued to the Cuban regime regarding the impunity for these actions.
What complaints exist regarding the conditions in Cuban prisons?
The conditions in Cuban prisons have been denounced by human rights organizations such as Cubalex. Inmates face mistreatment, extreme malnutrition, and illnesses without medical care, resulting in an increase in deaths in custody. These conditions reflect a penal system used as a tool of repression by the Cuban regime.
What impact has the death of Yoleisy Oviedo had on the international community and Cuban activists?
The death of Yoleisy Oviedo has sparked a wave of outrage among activists and Cuban opponents who view her passing as a systematic strategy by the government to undermine political prisoners. The international community has expressed its concern and condemned the inhumane conditions in Cuban prisons, demanding justice and reforms in the island's penitentiary system.
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